A former senior bank executive has agreed with Senior Counsel Brendan Grehan, representing Pat Whelan- Anglo's former MD of Lending (Ireland) - that limited personal recourse on some loans was not unusual at that time.

Full recourse lending allows a lender to fully pursue a borrower and all their assets in the event of a default.

Mr Grehan told a 15 strong jury at Dublin's Circuit Criminal Court that of the top 25 loan connections, representing some 43 per cent of Anglo's loan book at that time, only 5 were full recourse.

"In the main, Anglo would be very stringent on personal recourse," said Michael O'Sullivan, former director of divisional lending at Anglo.

"In the main, full recourse would have been more the norm," said the banker.

Mr O'Sullivan is giving evidence in the trial of Sean FitzPatrick, 65, from Greystones in Co Wicklow, 51-year-old Patrick Whelan of Malahide in Dublin and 63-year-old William McAteer of Rathgar in Dublin.

The men have pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of unlawfully providing financial assistance to individuals for the purpose of buying shares in Anglo Irish Bank in 2008.

Mr Whelan has also denied seven charges of being privy to the fraudulent alteration of a loan facility letter.